Condor Noir
by Mylari
Summary: Joe has found a new and unexpected way to earn some quick cash. Based on an image by Springie


Joe has found a new and unexpected way to earn some quick cash...

Based on an image by the exceptionally talented Springie.

The image, called Joe Noir, can be found at springie . deviantart (.com) / art / Joe-noir-585141399

Make sure to check out all her other awesome images too!

She posted the image on gatchamania and DeviantArt and I just knew there had to be a story behind it. This may not have been what she had in mind when she was drawing though LOL...

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The city lies dark. Not a single star shines in the inky midnight sky. The streets lie deserted, the wet asphalt slick and shining in the harsh glow of the streetlights. Scattered high-rise windows twinkle as lights turn on and off at random. Joe walks slowly along the empty street, his jacket collar turned up to ward off the night's chill bite. His eyes roam the landscape before him, no detail going unnoticed. "When night falls, the condor prowls…" says a deep voice as the picture freezes on Joe's face, zooming in until he's only half in the frame. "Condor Noir, the new scent from Aquoth…"

Giggles and clapping filled the silence when the ad ended. Jinpei reached up and pressed a button, causing the commercial to begin again. The team quieted, seemingly captivated by the black and white images on the screen. As the final tagline faded once more, whooping and catcalls rang out even louder than before.

"Are you all about done yet?" Joe growled from his seat at a table on the other side of the nearly empty bar.

"Not even close, Condor Noir," Jun said through her giggles.

"You gotta admit, they got his personality down pat," Ryu commented with a snicker.

"Who wants to smell like Joe-aniki anyway?" Jinpei piped up from behind the bar. "I bet that stuff smells like motor oil and exhaust fumes," he teased, wrinkling his nose in disgust.

"Funny, very funny, all of you. I don't know why I stick around listening to this," Joe snarled, getting to his feet.

"Don't get on their case, Joe. You're the one who agreed to do the ad. You had to know what was going to happen when we saw it," Ken said capturing Joe's gaze. "So, what did she look like?"

"Who?"

Ken rolled his eyes as his eyebrows lifted. "The girl who asked you to do the ad… What did she look like?"

Joe just grunted and said nothing.

"Must have been some looker," Jun pointed out. "He won't even acknowledge her existence."

Ken snorted, tilting his head to the side as he studied his second. Suddenly his expression brightened and he snapped his fingers. "I've got it! She was pretending to be a race groupie, but was really after the Condor. She hoped that by getting the racer who calls himself Condor Joe to do the ad, somehow the real Condor would show up to set the record straight. If only she knew the truth," he chuckled.

"She was probably a Galactor too," Jinpei yelled as he ducked below the counter, out of Joe's line of sight before slowly peeking back over the bar.

Joe narrowed his eyes and let his glare sweep across the room, pinning each of his teammates in turn. He sighed heavily, shaking his head slowly. "You're all just jealous because they wanted to put my face on TV. I don't see any of you being offered this kind of cash for a couple of hours of work." He pulled a check from his pocket, holding it out where the others could see as they crowded around him.

"Woah, they looking for anyone else to do an ad?" Ryu asked, not taking his eyes from the slip of paper in Joe's hand.

"Yeah, do they do women's perfumes too?" When everyone turned to look at Jun, she muttered quickly, "Look around, it's not like business is good. You're my only customers on a Friday night and none of you ever pay for anything!" Her eyes widened as she looked at the check again, "Though that can change now, can't it?" she said, snatching it from Joe's unresisting hand before he could react and racing into the kitchen with it.

Joe immediately gave chase as the others broke into laughter. A series of crashing sounds from the back room interrupted their mirth and caused the three remaining teammates to sprint into the kitchen. On the TV, the cologne ad continued to play, forgotten and ignored.


End file.
